1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a teller machine for processing transactions of cash, securities or the like in the counter tasks at, for example, banks and financial institutes, and also to an automatic transaction system to which a plurality of teller machines are connected, comprising a host computer for processing the transaction data transmitted from each teller machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the counter tasks for registering transaction data such as account number, type of transaction and amount of transaction at banks or the like, teller machines connected to a host computer are used. On the keyboard of the teller machine, when the END key is pressed after input of the transaction data, the transaction data is registered in the teller machine, and is transmitted to the host computer at the same time. The host computer receiving the transaction data from the teller machine sends out a corresponding response signal. Some of such response signals include key wait request command requesting a key wait to the teller machine is known. When a response signal including the key wait request command is received, the subsequent transmission of the transaction data to the host computer is prohibited unless a specific predetermined key is thereafter pressed in the teller machine.
As the case of sending out such key wait request command, the following event may be assumed. One of the types of transaction data transmitted to the host computer has a format of transaction data composed of four pieces of information consisting of the transaction serial number, account number, transaction amount and transaction type. When transmitting such type of transaction data to the host computer, if the transaction data is not composed a perfect format due to, for example, missing of any one of the pieces of information (e.g. account number) by misoperation of the operator of the teller machine, the host computer does not accept this transaction data, but transmits a response signal including the key wait request command. In response to this, in the display unit of the teller machine, "REJECT" is displayed as visual information telling that the transmitted transaction data was not accepted by the host computer, and the subsequent transmission action is prohibited, and the host computer requests a key input operation to cancel this state to the teller machine. That is, this state is the key wait state. Accordingly, when the operator presses the CLEAR key, the state wherein transmission action is prohibited can be cancelled.
The teller machine can be set to a offline mode when it is desired to shorten the processing time as the customers are crowded at the counter or when the line connecting with the host computer is down. In the offline mode, when the transaction data that must be transmitted to the host computer is registered, the data is not transmitted immediately, but is temporarily stored in a re-entry buffer built in the teller machine. The data stored in the re-entry buffer are sequentially sent out to the host computer in response to various read command information transmitted from the host computer when there is a free time at the teller machine side, such as during the night. Even in the offline mode, when the key wait state occurs, the operation to cancelling such state is required, and such operation is a great burden for the operator.